Close range focusing

[liang_mic]

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I'm quite new to Leica. Finally saved enough money to buy my first Leica M262 this year. Loving it. Currently, I have the 50mm Summicron and the 28mm Elmarit. Loving both lenses. However there's one small thing that bothers me. I guess since i'm used to DSL's closing range focusing ability, i'm having difficult time adjusting taking photos of small items and items at close range. Since i'm an avid action figure collector and they are rather small, what lens do you guys suggest? 

 

1) 90mm Macro Elmar  (However the M262 doesn't have live view, does that matter?)
 

2) 90 or 75mm Summarit F2.4 (I'm not really taking photos of micro scale items , but rather 2" to 12" tall figures. I can always step back and get a nice detailed head shot, can't I?)

 

thank you very much!

[Peter Kilmister]

Welcome to the forum.

An EVF makes it much easier to achieve close range focus. You can use the Olympus version which is cheaper than the (identical) Leica EVF. Ebay is a good place to find a used one. Just make sure it is the correct version (EVF2).

 

The Olympus one is called "Olympus VF2".

Edited December 4, 2016 by Peter Kilmister

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[Jeff S]

Welcome to the forum.

An EVF makes it much easier to achieve close range focus. You can use the Olympus version which is cheaper than the (identical) Leica EVF. Ebay is a good place to find a used one. Just make sure it is the correct version (EVF2).

 

The Olympus one is called "Olympus VF2".

 

The M262 supports only RF photography.

 

Jeff

[Jeff S]

 

1) 90mm Macro Elmar  (However the M262 doesn't have live view, does that matter?)

 

 

 

Yes, it matters.  The old version is RF coupled, but the new version requires LV for macro...   http://www.slack.co.uk/2014/Leica_Macro_Elmar.html

 

Jeff

[liang_mic]

Well..what about the 75 or 90mm Summarit? Do you think that'll work for my needs? Just stand a bit further away, i think i can get pretty decent portrait out of my figures? Or would the subject be too far and too small for me to focus exactly? 

[spydrxx]

You could always go the old Visoflex route, put a Viso III on your camera, and if needed, a bellows & the appropriate lens head. I frequently use mine, not so much on my Leicas, but often on one of my digital bodies. Works quite well.

[C Lei Lux]

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Welcome to the forum.

An EVF makes it much easier to achieve close range focus. You can use the Olympus version which is cheaper than the (identical) Leica EVF. Ebay is a good place to find a used one. Just make sure it is the correct version (EVF2).

 

The Olympus one is called "Olympus VF2".

 

Oly VF2 gibt es bei Oly-Germany nicht mehr.

[Peter Kilmister]

The M262 supports only RF photography.

 

Jeff

 

Sorry to get that wrong. I haven't tried or looked at the M262.

[lct]

Welcome to the forum . Since you don't have live view, only solutions are an optical Visoflex or a macro-Elmar 90/4 v1. Great lens that can be used both in normal (w/o goggles) and macro (w. goggles) modes. When you have a live view camera (resistance is futile ), you can keep the same lens and use it with a macro adapter. Same on non-Leica mirrorless cameras. 

 

Specs: LeicaM_9040m1_tech_en.pdf

 

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[Jeff S]

Well..what about the 75 or 90mm Summarit? Do you think that'll work for my needs? Just stand a bit further away, i think i can get pretty decent portrait out of my figures? Or would the subject be too far and too small for me to focus exactly? 

 

 

Only you can determine your precise needs.  Best to try.....demo, borrow or rent....   https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/photo/leica/lenses/normal-range

 

Jeff

[Jean-Michel]

Without LV or cumbersome Visoflex, macrophotography with an M is really a non-starter. With LV things change quite a bit as you can attach a non-M lens with macro ability, or the Leica 90 macro. I happen have been given old 70-210 Canon lens with macro ability at the 70 mm end, an inexpensive Fotodiox adapter and voila!

Jean-Michel

[michaelwj]

I bought a Nikon and a 3.5/55 micro Nikkor for "at home close focus of bits and bobs". It's just for home and the Leica solutions are more expensive, more cumbersome, and an altogether inferior solution.

The Leica is great at many things, close focus is not one of those!

 

Edit: a live view enabled Leica with and adapted lens would be my preferred solution; one less camera. But I'm a film shooter...

Edited December 5, 2016 by michaelwj

[Guest )-(]

The 0.7m MFD of the 75 APO makes for a tight enough FOV for small figures I would say, especially since you can crop a bit.

I don't know what the MFD of the Summarits is...

[waloszek]

@liang_mic

2) 90 or 75mm Summarit F2.4 (I'm not really taking photos of micro scale items , but rather 2" to 12" tall figures. I can always step back and get a nice detailed head shot, can't I?)

 

First of all, I think that macro shooting without live view is a hassle on a Leica M (or a lot of effort...). Why not simply buy a 1" camera with good macro mode (like my wife's Sony RX100 M1)? That provides still decent image quality, you have no hassle (but the macros are taken at 28mm equiv.), and it is much cheaper than any Leica solution.

 

Second, I tried out my lenses for their macro abilities (without any extras) and calculated a list of magnifications. You can find it on my website: http://www.waloszek.de/m240_mm_closeup_e.php

 

It is indeed as you mentioned: You get the best magnifications with long lenses, although you have to step back (1m or more). It's about 1:10 or an area of 400 x 250 mm (or a little less). Given the 24 MP, you can crop the photo quite a bit.

 

Hope that helps a little.

Best regards, Gerd

Edited December 5, 2016 by waloszek

[david strachan]

Try a collapsible lens of any of the Leica lenses, with a short adapter tube.  Gives a good bit of magnification.  Then collapse the lens to get infinity focus.  Works OK with my collapsible 50mm Summicron.

 

The Nikkor also works well...I've got some good shots.  Nikon considered it one of it's best lenses, I read somewhere.. .  You get 1:2 without the PK tubes, and still get infinity.

 

But all that depends on live view...so you are making it almost impossible, with the M262.

 

I think the Visoflex route and bellows.

 

Or try a 135mm lens on your camera, and crop hugely!

 

 

All best...

Edited December 5, 2016 by david strachan

[luigi bertolotti]

How old is your Summicron 50 ? Should it be the old version with lenshead unscrewable, there is the elegant SOMKY-UOORF solution, which I personally used a lot on M8 (less on M240.. EVF/LV is really a plus...)

[liang_mic]

@luigi bertolottiI believe my 50mm Summicron is the 5th version (type 5) It's not the newest version.

 

@waloszek I shoot with my DSLR quite often in the studio. I actually own a 105mm Macro lens from Nikkor. However when I travel I bring my Leica, thus I'd love bring some figure with me so I can take photos outdoors. 

 

I, too, think the Visoflex/macro lens would be a hassle for everyday shooting. @Jeff S as you said I think i'm more leaning towards 75mm/90mm Summarit since they are in a better price range, and might complement 28mm and 50mm. I'm just wondering if you guys have tried them? 
 

What about food photos? Let's say if i'm sitting in a restaurant and I wanna take a photo of my dish, with 50mm's 0.7 focusing distance it's still very difficult to take photo of food right in front of me. 

[lct]

According to Leica (unchecked) technical data:

 

75/2.0

Smallest object field: 169 x 254mm

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:7

 

75/2.4

Smallest object field: 173 x 260mm

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:7.2

 

75/2.5

Smallest object field: 238 x 357mm

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:9.9

 

90/2.4

Smallest object field: 187 x 280mm

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:7.8

 

90/2.5

Smallest object field: 213 x 320mm

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:8.9

 

90/4 macro v1

Smallest object field: 161mm x 241mm (with macro adapter: 72 x 108mm)

Largest reproduction ratio: 1:6.7 (with macro adapter: 1:3)

Edited December 5, 2016 by lct

[Jeff S]

 @Jeff S as you said I think i'm more leaning towards 75mm/90mm Summarit since they are in a better price range, and might complement 28mm and 50mm. I'm just wondering if you guys have tried them? 

 

 

 

 

No, I have no opinion on your purchase/needs/preferences/standards, etc....what I wrote is that YOU should try them (and I gave you a link for rental if you can't find a dealer or friend to lend).  My opinion, or those of others, shouldn't matter IMO.

 

Jeff

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Hallo,

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[jaapv]

The M262 supports only RF photography.

 

Jeff

Indeed. If one has macro needs one of the 240 models is the better choice.

However the Visoflex3 with Bellows-M and tele-Elmar 135 lenshead is capable of superb macro shots and cn easily be used hand-held. The only obstacle is the presence of the prism which covers the hot shoe, however, a ring-LED system will solve that problem.

 

 

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/19794-m8-the-macro-thread/

 

 

 

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